Ahead of the G20 meeting in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled for May 22 to May 24, Pakistan has reportedly written a letter to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) nations urging them to ‘boycott’ the G20 tourism working group meeting. Pakistan is writing these letters even as the failed state has descended into abject chaos with riots and looting being reported from across the country after the incarceration of Imran Khan.
Turkey, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia are members of both the G20 and the OIC, an organisation of 57 countries. Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates are among India’s special invitee countries.
Pakistan claimed, in its usual rant, Jammu and Kashmir was an “internationally recognized disputed territory,” citing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) decisions.
It pointed to the repeal of Article 370 and informed the OIC member countries that G20 meetings or events in Kashmir demonstrated “blatant disregard for relevant UN Security Council resolutions.” According to sources, the UN Security Council resolutions required Pakistan to take the initial step of vacating Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan was concerned that participation in the G20 summit or activities in Kashmir would offer “legitimacy” to India and had expressed this concern to the OIC.
It is notable that despite Pakistan’s desperate moves, the tourism secretary has said that the OIC member countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Oman, and UAE have confirmed their participation in the G20 event. However, Turkey, known for its inclination towards Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are yet to confirm their attendance.
While this is being reported, it is pertinent to note that on May 18th, it was also reported that Saudi Arabia had decided to snub Pakistan and back India’s decision to hold G20 in Srinagar by sending its delegate.
On May 5, Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto who received a ‘cold’ welcome in India for the Shanghai Cooperation (SCO) summit in Goa, had issued a veiled threat to India over the G20 meeting scheduled to be held in Srinagar. When asked about India holding a G20 summit in Kashmir, he said, “Waqt aane par aisa jawab denge jo yaad rahega. It shows pettiness. It is a show of arrogance that to hell with international laws, to hell with United Nations Security Council resolution, they will hold their events.”
In a befitting response to Bhutto, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that Pakistan has nothing to do with G20 and that they also have nothing to do even with Srinagar and Kashmir. He also added that Pakistan should talk about when will they be vacating the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).
“Pakistan has nothing to do with Kashmir or even with Srinagar. The only issue to discuss with Pakistan on Kashmir is when they will vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” EAM Jaishankar said.